Chelsea haven't dropped their interest in West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice -though have drawn up a contingency plan.
The Hammers have slapped a £150m asking price on their main midfielder with the Stamford Bridge outfit so far proving reluctant to offer in excess of £75m.
As an alternative, Chelsea scouts have been watching RB Leipzig's Konrad Laimer for some time, and believe the 25-year-old could excel in England, says Football.London.
However, they face competition from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, who had been preparing to pounce for Laimer following the expiry of his current contract.
At RBL, they expect to sell Laimer and are actively seeking a replacement.